Religion Roundup from the Eyewitness News Newsroom

GOD AND GOVERNMENT Court upholds 'under God' in pledge, 'In God We Trust' on money

SAN FRANCISCO
A federal appeals court has ruled that the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency do not violate separation of church and state.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel rejected the two legal challenges by Michael Newdow, who claimed that the references to God disrespect his atheist beliefs.

The same court had ruled in Newdow's favor in 2002 after he sued his daughter's school district over student recitation of the pledge. That lawsuit reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004, but the high court ruled that Newdow lacked the legal standing to sue because he didn't have custody of his daughter.

So Newdow, who's a lawyer, filed a new challenge on behalf of other parents.

But the appeals court ruled 2-1 Thursday that the words "under God" in the pledge are constitutional.

In a separate 3-0 ruling, the court upheld the words "In God We Trust" on coins and currency.

SCHOOL PRAYER Ind. student sues to stop prayer

INDIANAPOLIS
The top-ranked senior at a suburban Indianapolis high school is asking a federal judge to stop a graduation prayer that the class voted to approve.

The lawsuit by 18-year-old Eric Workman claims the prayer and the vote at Greenwood High School unconstitutionally subject religious practice to majority rule.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed the lawsuit on Workman's behalf. It says, "He does not believe that anyone should involuntarily be subjected to prayer and religious beliefs."

But Micah Clark, executive director of the American Family Association of Indiana, says, "Part of being an adult is learning to tolerate speech you don't like."

COLLEGE VS. CHURCH Seminary chairman sues college's founding denomination

COLUMBIA, S.C.
A top official with a private South Carolina college is asking a court to block the school's founding denomination from appointing new trustees.

The lawsuit accuses the governing body of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church of illegally removing nearly half of Erskine College's board earlier this month. The denomination's new criteria for trustees include meeting the church's definition of an evangelical Christian.

The lawsuit filed by Scott Mitchell, chairman of the Erskine College and Theological Seminary board of trustees, seeks to disband the interim board.

The school has about 600 college students living on campus, and another 350 attending seminary.

TEXAS SCHOOLS-SOCIAL STUDIES God gets a nod in Texas lesson plans

AUSTIN, Texas
The Texas State Board of Education has added references to the "laws of nature and nature's God" to curriculum standards for students in American history.

Conservative members scored a string of victories Thursday on the second day of a three-day meeting.

They defeated an amendment calling for students to be taught that "the founding fathers protected religious freedom in America by barring the government from promoting or disfavoring any particular religion above all others."

The board also agreed to strike the word "democratic" in references to the form of U.S. government, opting instead to call it a "constitutional republic."

Decisions by the board, which is led by social conservatives, affect textbook content nationwide because Texas is one of publishers' biggest clients.

ACTIVIST KILLED Trucker convicted in shootings of abortion protester, businessman

CORUNNA, Mich.
A trucker has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the shootings of a Christian anti-abortion picketer and a businessman last September.

A Michigan jury convicted 34-year-old Harlan Drake, rejecting his insanity defense.

At his trial, Drake told jurors that he deserved to die for killing James Pouillon and Mike Fuoss (FOOS) in Owosso, west of Flint.

Drake's mother had worked at Fuoss' company and had disputes with the owner. Drake testified that he didn't like Pouillon picketing outside Owosso High School with a graphic anti-abortion sign.

Michigan doesn't allow capital punishment, so Drake faces life in prison without parole.

PAKISTAN-WORLD VISION Christian group suspends Pakistan operations after six are killed

ISLAMABAD
The Christian aid group World Vision has suspended operations in Pakistan after attackers armed with assault rifles and a homemade bomb killed six of its Pakistani employees.

The victims staffed a World Vision office helping earthquake survivors in northwestern Pakistan.

A World Vision spokesman said the attack "was completely unexpected, unannounced and unprovoked."

Extremists have killed other foreign aid group employees in Pakistan and accused such organizations of working against Islam.

Wednesday's attack may have been prompted by World Vision's religious affiliation. Islamists often target Christian groups, which they accuse of trying to convert Muslims.

NUN ATTACKED Man attacks nun at N.J. church, steals computer

NEWARK, N.J.
Police are searching for a man who attacked a nun at a church in Newark, N.J., and stole a laptop computer.

Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Newark Archdiocese, said the 55-year-old nun was working in the convent of St. Lucy's Church around 11 a.m. Thursday when she heard a noise and saw a man wearing a dark overcoat.

Goodness said the man punched and kicked her. She was taken to a local hospital, but Goodness said she was not seriously injured.

A church sexton said the man had come to the church earlier in the day asking for money and was turned away.

VIDEO THREAT-ARREST Ga. man who called for Elton John's death arrested

ATLANTA
A Georgia man who posted a video on YouTube of himself calling for Elton John's death has been arrested for making terrorist threats.

Neal Horsley complains in the video about the musician's comments in a magazine interview last month that Jesus Christ was gay.

Parade Magazine quoted Elton John as saying, "I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems" and "forgave the people who crucified him."

Horsley was being held Thursday in the Fulton County jail on $40,000 bond.

John's publicist, Fran Curtis, had no comment.

LEGISLATURE-IMAM'S PRAYER Muslim cleric offers prayer in Va. House

RICHMOND, Va.
A Muslim cleric from a mosque where two of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers worshipped has delivered the opening prayer in Virginia's House of Delegates.

Imam Johari Abdul-Malik's invocation Thursday sought strength "to go beyond tolerance to understanding." He said where there's hate, "Let us show love. Where there is fear, let us find faith."

A handful of protesters showed up outside the Capitol. In the House, 13 seats were empty _ not unusual for an opening prayer. A few delegates were absent for the day.

Delegates joined Abdul-Malik in saying "Amen" as the prayer concluded.

Abdul-Malik has publicly denounced terrorism and denies that the Dar al-Hijra mosque foments radicalism. He was not the mosque's imam when 9/11 hijackers worshipped there.

SNAIL-EATING RITUAL Devotees of Fla. man drank snail mucus in ritual

MIAMI
Followers of a Miami man claiming to practice a traditional African religion say they had to drink the mucus of a Giant African Snail that sickened them.

Federal authorities raided Charles L. Stewart's home after receiving complaints. Stewart has not been criminally charged, but prosecutors and state and federal wildlife agencies are investigating.

The Giant African Snail is prohibited in the U.S. without special approval. Experts say it devastates ecosystems. The snail grows up to 10 inches long, can reproduce on its own and can even eat plaster.

Stewart says his religion uses the snails in healing ceremonies, and he means no harm.

Stewart's followers said they got violently ill, lost weight and developed lumps in their stomachs.